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Well, the games haven't even started yet and already teams are splitting up. I figured we might as well get a thread going to keep track of all the confirmed changes as there will no doubt be countless more announcements as time goes on.

Obviously Michelle Englot is retiring, and Kate Cameron made it sound (on Twitter) like the team is going their seperate ways:

What a two years itâ€™s been with @team_englot - so honoured to have curled with @MichelleEnglot @Raunora and Leslie. These girls truly made the sacrifices completely worth it. #foreverfriends #lifegoeson

Team Rocque announced they're splitting up on their Facebook page a few hours ago:Another year has almost come to a close for us! 3 years have passed and we have shared countless memories and experiences together that we will never forget. At this time, all of us have chosen to pursue other options for the next quadrennial separately. We are so thankful for everything we have accomplished together and we wish everyone the best of luck moving forward with whatever it is they choose to do!

A special thank you goes out to our coach Lesley McEwan. We cannot express how grateful we are for all that you have taught us, the knowledge that you have shared, and the sacrifices that you have made to help us grow as athletes. You are an incredible role model for any woman to look up to and an exceptional coach.

Thank you again to all of our wonderful sponsors and supporters. Without you, these last 3 years of travel and competitions would not have been possible.

Also, it is of note that the Team Tippin Facebook and Twitter accounts have been deleted, which I assume means something.

Outside of Canada, a few months back Team Kauste (Aku, not Oona) from Finland announced they're hanging it up.

At the moment, I can't think of any other teams that have confirmed anything. Obviously there are lots of rumors, theories, and gossip...but for now I'm sticking to what has been confirmed (for the most part, as I'm just inferring with Tippin).

Obviously Team Rocque weren't getting the winning traction they expected. Rocque would be the hottest prospect off that squad - Crocker is a glorified front-ended who ended up trying to man a position she's not qualified for. One of the best personalities in the game though! Perhaps she can change residency again (to BC) and help rebuild the BC womens program.

Englot went out like the lioness she's always been - proud and solid. Just couldn't produce anymore when it counted at age 54 - and counting. She might be the person Saskatchewan Ladies Curling goes to if they wish to rebuild their program. I would.

Kate Cameron is a very solid and responsible hitting 3rd - great t-line presence, too. If she doesn't want to return to skipping maybe she considers a position in Ontario, even N. Ontario if Tracy Fleury & Crystal part ways. However, Cameron & Tiny Tracy are two different types to be sure. Not sure they'd gel.

Real speculation is what happens to some ultra-competitive Alberta teams that have fallen on hard times. Speaking mainly of Valerie Sweeting & Chelsea Carey. Can't see Chels staying with Cathy O so perhaps a Sweeting/Carey merger is in play - who skips though?

Rocque might also be a better choice for either Val or Carey.

If I was in charge of re-building Team Sweeting I'd probably make a call to Joss Peterman to be my new 3rd.

i said it before multiple times, i'd be surprised if epping stayed together . maybe winning ontario helped but i've felt all season they were just going through the motions

sweeting should make some changes

think this might be the end for howard so it'll be interesting to see where scott and david go

casey might make changes again. can't see him happy with how this season went. same thing goes for cotter

question is if morris will continue playing or stick with cotter or will he wind up somewhere else

think simmons may be done with his young manitoba team.

virtue still going in saskatchewan and made it deep this year..maybe him and casey team up?

internationally it's harder to say because they tend to change less. ulsrud has stated it's his last year. the only real reason he went another 4 is to get to the olympics

can't see much changing out there. maybe patz makes some changes? . i guess maybe some of the scottish teams could make changes. mouat and smith should stick together though.

can't see any of the chinese, japanese, or korean teams changing with the exception of maybe liu possibly retiring. same goes with the american teams. stjerne for denmark maybe. depends on what frederiksen wants to do. maybe snitil retires too. the german teams..well, they don't exactly have a deep well to pick from. teams they have now may be the best they can get.
wonder if michel will come back for switzerland.

maybe kate cameron teams up with shannon birchard? that could be a really strong combination.

don't know why but i can see kendra lilly stepping away from mccarville and skipping her own team again.

thomas will either make changes or step back again.

mcewen, gushue will stay together. so will laycock.

if koe was put together for the olympics though maybe they'll break up after it's done. whether or not that means retirement i don't know but with their goal achieved maybe they'll split up

quote:Originally posted by curlerbroad I have a feeling we may see Sherri Middaugh make some team changes as they didn't really do too well at the last two provincials. Alison Flaxey is another one who could make some team changes.

Even though Epping made the Brier - unless they win it, I don't think this team will stay together. It will be interesting to see what Team Howard does.

i actually wouldn't be to surprised if sherry retired after the end of the season.

i think this year might see a number of them. glenn, sherry, we already had michele. kevin koe might depending on what he does at the olympics. john morris, who sounded like he was close to it before jim gave him the call. we'll see

quote:Originally posted by Manitoba Legend Old Glenny, even at 55/56 still has a ton of shots in his arsenal. Perhaps merging the Epping & Howard teams - Howard & his boy merge with Epping and his best front ender.

Yet to be decided who skips but I'd lean to Epping w/ Glen calling the shots. Especially if Epping wilts against the so-called monsters at this years event

Kate Cameron made a good decision to disband herself from the remnants of Team Englot. She could be a Tier 1B skip in Manitoba, Kenora, Moosomin, etc. or put herself out as a really scary Tear 1 3rd.

I wonder if Chels Carey could use a player like Cameron?

what kind of sense would it make for epping to team up with howard when howard is likely very close to retirement, if he won't this year.

epping would be looking for a team for the long term. i don't know where he'll go from here though if i'm right and this team breaks up. i wonder if scott howard would team up with richard hart's sons. maybe camm teams up with his brother. john..i don't know. maybe he teams up with kean? maybe he grabs bice or squires. some of the talented guys from ontario that are young out there. maybe if he wants to go out of province he could link up with some young recently out of juniors guy like calvert. maybe he could lure one of the horgan brothers closer to him.

Team Fleury has announced they will be disbanding at the end of the season, citing retirement/recharging time in some cases, and some time off for families. Others will be looking at other opportunities/teams.

Julie Tippin has created a new facebook page. They are looking for a backend player. Looks like Chantelle no longer on team. Not sure if she left or what but when you go info about team no longer mentioned

quote:Originally posted by nickelcity Team Fleury has announced they will be disbanding at the end of the season, citing retirement/recharging time in some cases, and some time off for families. Others will be looking at other opportunities/teams.

After that I like Kate Cameron as a FA 3rd - one local opportunity would be playing 3rd for Shannon Birchard - just don't know if Cameron has enough nuace (short, lightweight & chip shots) to bowl with Shanon.
From an import point of view - perhaps Cameron moves to Alberta to take the vice spot for Val Sweeting - we haven't heard sweet from Val - is Lori O staying? Who knows?

If Birchard picks up Cameron - they could move Nicole down to 2nd.to strengthen the front end, too!

Crystal Webster (now that Feury has disbanded) might have a couple years of useful service left. Either she returns to being a fawn-type skip in ultra-competitive Alberta or she starts at 3rd for someone like CC Carey. Carey is a moody and unpredictable performer so I don't know how good a landing spot that would be for a mostly stable performer like Crystal.

Team Einarson is going to finish off this season with their 2 remaining slams, then head their separate ways. Lead-second-third are sticking together to play with a new skip, Einarson is exploring her options.

quote:Originally posted by doubletakeout Team Einarson is going to finish off this season with their 2 remaining slams, then head their separate ways. Lead-second-third are sticking together to play with a new skip, Einarson is exploring her options.

Interesting - especially after doing so well and making the finals of the National tournament (sponsored by that toilet paper company).

__________________"It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own... but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

If the Einarson news is fact - NOT rumour then Kerri E. becomes the hottest free agent out there, no doubt about it!

Perhaps as big a FA as Kaitlyn Lawes would be if Team JJ disbanded.

Einarson is a brilliant individual curler - but she's NOT a hi-percentage curler. In other words she misses a ton of shots - but makes incredible shots in lieu of the misses.

Don't know how lethal a Kaitlyn - Kerri E. back end would be? Its certainly a thought, nothing more!

If Kerri intends to be a full-time professional curler (like Chelsea Carey) then her ship could sail to Alberta, Northern Ontario, even regular Ontario with the heavier option being remaining in Manitoba.

Now that Kerri Einarson has left them wonder where Selena Kaatz, Fyfe & McCuish end up?

They're all really good curlers. Kaatz has had the knock of being a bit on the meek and timid side when it comes to making difficult block-buster shots. She proved that wrong at the STOH.

Liz Fyfe is no Jill Officer - who is - but she's a brutally powerful brusher who's also a team gamer. Hard to find those types.

McCuish has had a rather steady, if not rapid ascendance into being one of the top leads in Manitoba if not the country.

One option is for Selena to step up and skip - finding a quality 3rd (perhaps like Kate Cameron) to fill the gap at 3rd. Kate is a far more powerful curler than Selena so this kind of team could have some blow.

Of course, there are rumblings that Kate Cameron has already hooked up with Kerri Einarson - just trying to find a really good front end.

quote:Originally posted by doubletakeout Team Einarson is going to finish off this season with their 2 remaining slams, then head their separate ways. Lead-second-third are sticking together to play with a new skip, Einarson is exploring her options.

Of all the announcements so far (and there will be lots more), this to me is the most surprising. Will be really interesting to see where they end up.